Argumentative Essay- Rising Immigration and Bilingual Education
Haley Lewis
English 101
Argumentative Essay
December 5, 2016
Rising Immigration and Bilingual Education
National reporter for The Washington Post, Elahe Izida, stated, “... after English, Spanish is by far the most common spoken language in the U.S. About 60 million people, or one in five, speak a language other than English at home, according to 2011 Census data” (Izida par. 11). With that rising number of immigrants in the United States, bilingual education should be an option. Even though it is believed that language immersion is better for immigrants, bilingual education is more effective because it’s better for immigrants learning English as their second language, bilingual education preserves immigrants native language and heritage, and bilingual education is beneficial to the brain.
The opposing side believes that language immersion is more beneficial for immigrants than bilingual education. As Chavez, chairman of the Center for Equal Opportunity, points out, “Not only did kids learn English more quickly, but their reading scores improved, as well, doubling in the first four years after bilingual education was banned” (Chavez par. 1). Having higher reading scores does not support the belief that language immersion is more beneficial. It is impossible to rule out any other factors that could have resulted in the children having higher reading scores . Immigrants are excited for their children to learn English because the parents believe that it will enable them to have a more successful future for themselves (Chavez par. 6). Knowing English can help the children succeed, but it does not guarantee that the children with succeed. The children can learn English as their second language and also use their native language at the same time and have the chance to succeed.
Bilingual education using native language is beneficial for immigrants learning English as their second language. Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, believes that “If the devaluation of bilingual education was supposed to result in significant academic gains, then the strategy has failed miserably” (Domenech par. 7). Without the use of their native language, immigrants have suffered academically. When the immigrants are taught mainly with their native language, it helps them succeed academically. Another advantage about bilingual education is that bilingual children will become better at certain tasks, closing the gap between English-speaking children and bilingual children.
Allowing bilingual education for immigrants will allow them to preserve their native language and heritage. Domenech said, “And maintaining a child's native language would be so much more effective than trying to teach them a "foreign" language at the secondary level” (Domenech par. 12). As well as preserving their heritage, maintaining children’s native language will help them academically. Driscoll and Geier explained, “Bilingual education supports not just the student's native language, but also the heritage that every immigrant brings to this country, which helps create a rich, multicultural environment” (Driscoll and Geier par. 13). Having a rich, multicultural will benefit the child in multiple ways, such as, connecting with relatives that do not know English.
Finally, bilingual education can be beneficial to the brain if children are given the chance to grow up bilingual. Izadi points out, “Being bilingual improves the executive functioning processes that manage things such as attention, working memory, planning, and problem-solving” (Izadi par. 5). The brain’s cognitive processes are built up when bilingual children are using one language and suppressing the other at the same time. Willis, a board-certified neurologist, stated, “One of the most significant implications of the bilingual research is the recognition that even very young children's executive functions appear responsive to exercise which strengthens them for future use” (Willis par. 9). Growing up bilingual strengthens the children’s brains, and the children’s brains are stronger for the future.
Bilingual education is more effective for immigrants than language immersion because it’s better for immigrants learning English as their second language, it preserves immigrants native language and heritage, and it is beneficial to the child’s brain. Understanding that 60 million U.S. citizens speak a language other than English in their home, bilingual education needs to be available throughout the United States. If bilingual education becomes available throughout the United States, then the gap will close between immigrants and the American citizens.
Works Cited
Chavez, Linda. “Language Immersion Is Better than Bilingual Education for Immigrants.” Townhall, Edited by Noël Merino, June 2014, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010256234&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true&source=Bookmark&u=ncmoc11357&jsid=4e8ec5341251ccb014b5a0f5b9500f10.
Domenech, Daniel A. “Bilingual Education Using Native Language Is Best for Immigrants.” School Administrator, Edited by Noël Merino, vol. 68, no. 5, 2011, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010256233&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true&source=Bookmark&u=chil38234&jsid=520fc00d88fe03602e126c33134ac5df.
Driscoll, Sally, and Denise B. Geier. “ Counterpoint: America's Future Depends on Bilingual Education.” Points of View: Bilingual Education, Points of View Reference Center, 1 Mar. 2016, web.a.ebscohost.com.library.ncmissouri.edu:8080/pov/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=344ad921-8ed0-4444-9f9f-f3e4dc4c69d9%40sessionmgr4010&hid=4101&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#AN=26609744&db=pwh.
Izadi, Elahe. “Bilingualism Can Help Close Learning Gaps for Immigrant Students.” National Journal, Edited by Noël Merino, 2014, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010256229&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true&source=Bookmark&u=ncmoc11357&jsid=fadfd5d6783aeb160b1f3c1d1044da6d.
Willis, Judy. “There Are Benefits to the Brain from Growing Up Bilingual.” Psychology Today, Edited by Noël Merino, 22 Nov. 2012, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010256239&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true&source=Bookmark&u=ncmoc11357&jsid=e37938c0612ffb6c3c650e37aabd7f30.
English 101
Argumentative Essay
December 5, 2016
Rising Immigration and Bilingual Education
National reporter for The Washington Post, Elahe Izida, stated, “... after English, Spanish is by far the most common spoken language in the U.S. About 60 million people, or one in five, speak a language other than English at home, according to 2011 Census data” (Izida par. 11). With that rising number of immigrants in the United States, bilingual education should be an option. Even though it is believed that language immersion is better for immigrants, bilingual education is more effective because it’s better for immigrants learning English as their second language, bilingual education preserves immigrants native language and heritage, and bilingual education is beneficial to the brain.
The opposing side believes that language immersion is more beneficial for immigrants than bilingual education. As Chavez, chairman of the Center for Equal Opportunity, points out, “Not only did kids learn English more quickly, but their reading scores improved, as well, doubling in the first four years after bilingual education was banned” (Chavez par. 1). Having higher reading scores does not support the belief that language immersion is more beneficial. It is impossible to rule out any other factors that could have resulted in the children having higher reading scores . Immigrants are excited for their children to learn English because the parents believe that it will enable them to have a more successful future for themselves (Chavez par. 6). Knowing English can help the children succeed, but it does not guarantee that the children with succeed. The children can learn English as their second language and also use their native language at the same time and have the chance to succeed.
Bilingual education using native language is beneficial for immigrants learning English as their second language. Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, believes that “If the devaluation of bilingual education was supposed to result in significant academic gains, then the strategy has failed miserably” (Domenech par. 7). Without the use of their native language, immigrants have suffered academically. When the immigrants are taught mainly with their native language, it helps them succeed academically. Another advantage about bilingual education is that bilingual children will become better at certain tasks, closing the gap between English-speaking children and bilingual children.
Allowing bilingual education for immigrants will allow them to preserve their native language and heritage. Domenech said, “And maintaining a child's native language would be so much more effective than trying to teach them a "foreign" language at the secondary level” (Domenech par. 12). As well as preserving their heritage, maintaining children’s native language will help them academically. Driscoll and Geier explained, “Bilingual education supports not just the student's native language, but also the heritage that every immigrant brings to this country, which helps create a rich, multicultural environment” (Driscoll and Geier par. 13). Having a rich, multicultural will benefit the child in multiple ways, such as, connecting with relatives that do not know English.
Finally, bilingual education can be beneficial to the brain if children are given the chance to grow up bilingual. Izadi points out, “Being bilingual improves the executive functioning processes that manage things such as attention, working memory, planning, and problem-solving” (Izadi par. 5). The brain’s cognitive processes are built up when bilingual children are using one language and suppressing the other at the same time. Willis, a board-certified neurologist, stated, “One of the most significant implications of the bilingual research is the recognition that even very young children's executive functions appear responsive to exercise which strengthens them for future use” (Willis par. 9). Growing up bilingual strengthens the children’s brains, and the children’s brains are stronger for the future.
Bilingual education is more effective for immigrants than language immersion because it’s better for immigrants learning English as their second language, it preserves immigrants native language and heritage, and it is beneficial to the child’s brain. Understanding that 60 million U.S. citizens speak a language other than English in their home, bilingual education needs to be available throughout the United States. If bilingual education becomes available throughout the United States, then the gap will close between immigrants and the American citizens.
Works Cited
Chavez, Linda. “Language Immersion Is Better than Bilingual Education for Immigrants.” Townhall, Edited by Noël Merino, June 2014, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010256234&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true&source=Bookmark&u=ncmoc11357&jsid=4e8ec5341251ccb014b5a0f5b9500f10.
Domenech, Daniel A. “Bilingual Education Using Native Language Is Best for Immigrants.” School Administrator, Edited by Noël Merino, vol. 68, no. 5, 2011, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010256233&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true&source=Bookmark&u=chil38234&jsid=520fc00d88fe03602e126c33134ac5df.
Driscoll, Sally, and Denise B. Geier. “ Counterpoint: America's Future Depends on Bilingual Education.” Points of View: Bilingual Education, Points of View Reference Center, 1 Mar. 2016, web.a.ebscohost.com.library.ncmissouri.edu:8080/pov/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=344ad921-8ed0-4444-9f9f-f3e4dc4c69d9%40sessionmgr4010&hid=4101&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#AN=26609744&db=pwh.
Izadi, Elahe. “Bilingualism Can Help Close Learning Gaps for Immigrant Students.” National Journal, Edited by Noël Merino, 2014, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010256229&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true&source=Bookmark&u=ncmoc11357&jsid=fadfd5d6783aeb160b1f3c1d1044da6d.
Willis, Judy. “There Are Benefits to the Brain from Growing Up Bilingual.” Psychology Today, Edited by Noël Merino, 22 Nov. 2012, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010256239&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=true&source=Bookmark&u=ncmoc11357&jsid=e37938c0612ffb6c3c650e37aabd7f30.